I Run 4

Not so recently I was introduced to the most amazing group of runners that I have never met. The IRun4Michael group. You see, when I started this running journey it was for me. For my health, for my self-esteem (or lack thereof,) and for my family. I never thought that I could do this for anyone else. Boy, was I mistaken.

My Aunt, an amazingly strong, quick witted, FBG, introduced me to this group that pairs you with children/people who cannot run due to a disability. She had found them because of her son who has Angelman Syndrome (if you do not know what that is click here. These angels are some of the greatest kids I know) and said that I should register as a runner.

I figured, what the hell. Let's do it, so I did. The wait list is very long but a few months later I was paired with a happy little boy. I am his number one fan at the moment because he is just plain awesome. Like any little man he loves playing outside but the problem is he has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and a rare disorder that makes him allergic to the sun light. So playing outside is a chore of dressing him for the likes of the blizzard of '93. His mother is an astonishingly strong woman who keeps in touch with me regularly about him and home-schools both of her children (her daughter also has a runner due to her own disabilities.) She puts up with my constant complaints of not being able to run outside which is awesome. I'm completely surprised she hasn't dumped me yet.

I am honored and humbled that I was chosen to be the runner for him. It literally takes no time away from my schedule to dedicate my runs, workouts, and my all around general laziness to him. He inspires me to get out there because he can't. I complain because I can't run outside when it's cold, he can't go outside at all, what in the world do I have to complain about?

So please, if you have a little time to sign up go do it. You don't have to be a runner, just someone who exercises regular-ish-ly like me. I promise it is fulfilling and even a little bit of acknowledgement for these kids goes a long, long, way.